Skate



March 14, 1967 M. s. PARKER SKATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1964INVENTOR.

TE/V549 arch 14, 1967 SKATE Filed Oct. 13, 1964 M. S. PARKER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 A/[Fdf 5. 2424 66 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,309,098 SKATE Merle S. Parker, Torrance, Calif.,assignor to The Toy Development Center, Inc., Beverly Hills, Calif., acorporation of California Filed Oct. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 403,494 Claims.(Cl. 230-1126) This invention relates to skates, and has particularreference to improved mechanisms for attaching roller skates, ice skatesand the like to the shoe of the wearer.

Various means have heretofore been proposed for removably attachingroller and ice skates to the shoes of the wearer and in particular muchattention has been directed to the design of various types of toe clampsand/or sockets. Each of the mechanisms heretofore proposed have beensubject to one or more disadvantages such as the failure to provide auniversal attachment means for the toes of various types of shoes suchas tennis shoes as well as conventional leather shoes; the necessity forinterconnecting the clamps for tightening and loosening the same; thenecessity for skate key devices for use in adjusting the clamps; and thefailure to provide for secure clamping means without damage to the shoeand/or discomfort of the wearer. An important object of the presentinvention is, therefore, to provide skates embodying novel and improvedmeans for attachment of the skate to the shoe in a manner overcoming theaforesaid and other disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved toeattachment device for skates capable of automatically conforming to theshoe of the wearer to hold the same against movement with respect to theskate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a skate embodying noveland improved toe attachment or clamp means which do not require norinclude any interconnection between the clamp members for movementthereof toward and away from the clamping position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a skate embodyingnovel and improved means for longitudinal or length adjustment thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of preferredembodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a roller skate having theattachment means of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the skate of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the skate of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, illustrating one form oflength adjustment means.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary bottom view illustrating one position of thelocking lever of the device shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but showing a different positionof the locking lever.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but showing the locking lever inthe engaged position.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top plan View of the skate of FIGURE 1,illustrating the toe attachment or clamping members in the widened,adjusted position.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in aroller skate having a base portion comprising heel and toe plates 10 and11, respectively, operably connected together by means of a length adicejustment assembly 12 and suitably mounted upon rollers or wheels 13. Therollers 13 are journalled on ball bearing assemblies (not shown) carriedon shafts 15 which are in turn mounted on the forward and aft bracketmembers 17 and 18, respectively. A suitable heel guard member 20 ispositioned on the heel plate 11 and is provided with slots 21 or othermeans for attachment of a conventional ankle strap.

The novel toe attachment or clamping mechanism of the present inventionincludes a pair of clamp members 30 and 31, each of which can be formedof a single sheet of metal or molded of plastic. Each of the clampmembers comprises a base portion or plate 33, 34 extending parallel toand underlying the toe plate 11, the plates 33, 34 extending outwardlyfrom both sides of the toe plate 11 through elongated slots 36, 37provided at the intersection of the toe plate 11 and the side flange 11athereof, the slots 36, 37 being substantially longer than the widths ofthe plates 33, 34, for a purpose to be described below. Extendingupwardly and substantially at right angles to the plates 33, 34 are sideportions 40, 41, the aft portions of which merge intohorizontally-extending lips or ledge members 44, 45, the verticalspacing between the top of the toe plate 11 and the underside of thelips 44, 45 being slightly greater than the normal shoe sole thickness.Forwardly of the lips 44, 45, the portions 4%, 41 merge upwardly intoinwardly-curved portions 46, 47 which overlie the toe plate 11, theinnermost edge portions 48, 49 thereof being substantially parallel tothe toe plate 11 and spaced thereabove a substantial distance inpositions to contact the upper toe portion of the shoe of the wearer.

Means are provided for operably connecting the clamp members 30, 31 tothe toe plate 11, and as shown in the drawings, these means may includea pair of pin members 50, 51 having the enlarged head portions as seenin FIGURE 1, the pin members being secured to the respective plates 33,34 and extending upwardly through slots 60, 61 provided in the toe plate11. Preferably, the slots are C-shaped as shown, to provide for widthadjustment of the clamp members from the narrow width position of FIGURE1 to the wide position of FIGURE 8. If such width adjustment is notdesired, the slots could be replaced with holes slightly oversize withrespect to the diameter of the pin members 50, 51, so that in eitherevent the clamp members are free to pivot about the pin members, asindicated by the phantom lines of FIGURE 8. Thus, the clamp members arepivot-ally connected to the toe plate 11 and are free to move to conformto the shoe of the wearer, such movement being limited by the widths ofthe slots 36, 37.

In use of the skate thus far described, assuming that the necessarylength adjustment has been made as will be described hereinbelow, thewearer simply slips his foot forwardly into the skate, inserting the toeof his shoe under the curved portions 46, 47. Continued forward movementof the shoe automatically causes the clamp members 30, 31 to pivotupwardly until the shoe sole has been properly positioned on the skate,with the wearers heel properly in place on the heel plate 10. At thispoint, the clamp members 30, 31 have adjusted themselves to theconfiguration of the toe portion of the wearers shoe. Thus, ifconventional shoes with conventional soles are worn, the lips 44, 45engage over the tops of the soles and provide vertical as well aslongitudinal clamping, the curved portions 46, 47 further aiding inpreventing vertical movement of the toe of the wearer. If footwear ofthe tennis shoe type are worn, the clamps operate in generally the samemanner, except that the lips 44, 45 tend to grip, or embed themselvesin, the rubber sides of the soles of such shoes. In any event, a firmattachment is provided, without any necessity for the use of auxiliarydevices such as threaded interconnections between the clamp members andthe necessary skate key and the like.

It is to be understood that the toe clamping mechanism described aboveis adapted to be used in otherwise conventional skates which may or maynot be provided with conventional length adjustment means. However, theabove-described clamping mechanism finds particular utility when used incombination with the length adjustment means 12. As shown in thedrawings, and in particular FIGURES 4 through 7, the means 12 comprisesa forward channel member 70 secured to the underside of the toe plate11, and an aft channel member 71 secured to the underside of the heelplate 10, the member 71 telescoping into the member 70 for relativelongitudinal sliding movement. A spring member 72 is preferably providedto prevent separation of the two members and to resiliently urge themtogether, one end of the spring being attached to the member 70 and theother end to the member 71, as shown in FIGURE 4.

The member 71 is provided on the lower surface thereof with a pluralityof curved, parallel portions or abutment members 73, these members beingpositioned at a slight angle with respect to a line normal to thelongitudinal side edges of the member 71.

Pivoted to the lower surface of the member 70 is a locking lever 80having a handle portion 81 and having a cam portion 82 adapted to extendthrough a slot 83 in the side wall of the member 70, the cam memberbeing provided with a curved face portion 85 adapted to contact the aftface of any one of the members '73.

The thus-described length adjustment assembly 12 is shown in the lockedor closed position in FIGURES 4 and 7 of the drawings, wherein the cam,face 85 is engaged against the rear face of one of the members 73, thuslocking the heel and toe portions of the skate against relative outward(lengthening) movement. Any inward (shortening) movement of the heel andtoe portions of the skate is of course prevented by the shoe of thewearer. For adjustment purposes, the lever 80 is simply pivotedoutwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 5, whereupon the heel and toeportions of the skate can be freely moved relative to each other forshortening or lengthening of the skate. Once the desired length has beenobtained, the lever 85 is moved back to the locked position. Preferablythis is accomplished after the user has inserted his foot into theskate, and in moving the lever back to the closed position, as shown inFIGURE 6, the cam member of the lever engages the adjacent member 73,the relative angular positions of the contacting portions causing themember 71 and the associated heel portion of the skate to be moved orcammed forwardly in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 6, thusexerting a final clamping action between the clamp members 30, 31 andthe toe of the shoe.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details set forth, but my invention is ofthe full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A skate comprising the combination of a heel plate and a toe plate,ground-contacting means attached to said plates, and means forconnecting together said plates for longitudinal adjustment of thespacing therebetween, said means comprising a channel member on one ofsaid plates and provided with a plurality of spaced abutment members,and a lever pivotally connected to the other of said plates and carryinga cam member adapted to be inserted between a pair of said abutmentmembers for locking said plates against relative motion therebetween,said abutment members being provided with mutually parallel portions,each inclined at an angle in positions to be connected by said cammember for movement of said channel member and its plate toward theother of said plates.

2. A skate comprising the combination of a base for supporting the shoeof a wearer, ground-contacting means connected to said skate, and a pairof toe clamps, each of said clamps being individually operably connectedto the forward portion of said base for movement with respect thereto toautomatically conform to the toe of a wearers shoe, said clamp membersincluding inwardly directed lip portions for overlappingly engaging soleportions of the wearers shoe and including curved portions forwardly ofsaid lip portions, said curved portions extending upwardly and beinginclined with respect to said base and spaced therefrom for engaging theupper portions of the wearers shoe.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the clamp members areindividually pivoted to said base.

4. In a skate, the combination of a toe plate and a pair of toe clampmembers, each of said members being provided with a plate portionextending under and in contact with the underside of said toe plate,means for pivotally connecting said clamp members individually to saidtoe plate for pivotal movement of said clamp members in the plane ofsaid toe plate, said clamp members including toe-engaging portionsextending upwardly from each of said plate members comprisinginwardly-directed lip portions for overlappingly engaging sole portionsof the wearers shoe and curved portions forwardly of said lip portions,said curved portions extending upwardly and being inclined with respectto said toe plate and spaced therefrom for engaging the upper portionsof the wearers shoe.

5. A skate comprising the combination of a base having a heel plate anda toe plate for supporting the shoe of a wearer, groundcontacting meansconnected to said skate, and a pair of toe clamps, each of said clampshaving toeengaging portions and being individually operably connected tothe forward portion of said base for movement with respect thereto toautomatically conform to the toe of the wearers shoe, said baseincluding connecting means for connecting together the heel plate andsaid toe plate for longitudinal adjustment of the spacing therebetween,said connecting means including a channel member on one of said platesand provided with a plurality of spaced abutment members, and a leverpivotally connected to the other of said plates and carrying a cammember adapted to be inserted between a pair of said abutment membersfor locking said plates against relative motion therebetween, saidabutment members being provided with mutually parallel portions, eachinclined at an angle in position to be contacted by said cam member formovement of said channel member and its plate toward the other of saidplates.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,535,422 4/1925Larsen 2801l.26 2,170,162 8/1939 Segal 280l1.26 2,201,990 5/1940 Dekomeet a1 280-1131 2,579,256 12/ 1951 Giudice 280-1132 3,007,706 11/1961Pullen 28011.26

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner.

1. A SKATE COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A HEEL PLATE AND A TOE PLATE,GROUND-CONTACTING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID PLATES, AND MEANS FORCONNECTING TOGETHER SAID PLATES FOR LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT OF THESPACING THEREBETWEEN, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A CHANNEL MEMBER ON ONE OFSAID PLATES AND PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED ABUTMENT MEMBERS,AND A LEVER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER OF SAID PLATES AND CARRYINGA CAM MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED BETWEEN A PAIR OF SAID ABUTMENTMEMBERS FOR LOCKING SAID PLATES AGAINST RELATIVE MOTION THEREBETWEEN,SAID ABUTMENT MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH MUTUALLY PARALLEL PORTIONS,EACH INCLINED AT AN ANGLE IN POSITIONS TO BE CONNECTED BY SAID CAMMEMBER FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER AND ITS PLATE TOWARD THEOTHER OF SAID PLATES.